Using OpenZac with AI

Install the OpenZac CLI to give your AI assistant direct access to sales tax allocation data. Works with Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, and more.

#Installation

The OpenZac CLI works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. To install, copy and paste this command into your terminal:

curl -fsSL https://open.zactax.com/install | bash

The installer will guide you through the setup process.

#What gets installed?

• A command line application for interacting with the OpenZac API
• We'll autodetect AI platforms installed on your system (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI) and offer to install the openzac Model Context Protocal (MCP) server
• Your API credentials (you'll be prompted during installation)

#Usage

After installation, the CLI is available in your path. Run it by typing:

openzac

#Configuration

The installation script handles initial setup, but you can modify your configuration at any time:

• openzac login — Set or update your API key
• openzac logout — Clear your API key

#Using with AI Tools

If you've opted to install the MCP server, you should be able to ask questions of OpenZac data directly in the AI system of your choosing. For example, asking Claude Desktop: "How did Austin, Texas' sales tax perform in 2025?" should generate:

• A call to the query_jurisdictions tool, searching for "Austin" in state "tx" in order to fetch the OpenZac ID for that city
• A call to the query_texas_sales_tax tool to fetch the relevant sales tax allocation data.

With the data in hand, Claude will be able to summarize and answer your question.

NOTE: As with any AI system, please double check anything you see. Our MCP server helps to ground the AI platform with a source of truth, but that doesn't mean it's always going to be 100% accurate.

#Work in Progress

This documentation is a work in progress. We'll be adding more detailed instructions, example prompts, and a full command reference soon.